One of the great joys of visiting Laughlin, Nevada in the Colorado River Valley is how easily a day of quiet desert exploration and day trips transition into a lively evening along the river. An hour’s drive is all you need to visit historic springs, majestic scenic overlooks, pine forested picnic parks, and fascinating museums that tell the story of the Mojave Desert and the people who shaped it.
Spend the day wandering through desert landscapes and historic sites, then return to Laughlin where music, riverfront dining, and casino entertainment keep the evening humming. It’s a combination that makes for a perfect Southwest weekend getaway or a weeklong holiday escape.
Vacation Paradise
Just a few miles south of Laughlin’s resort corridor, Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area feels like a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the modern world. The recreation area encompasses more than 2,100 acres along the Colorado River and includes sandy beaches, scenic desert canyons, picnic areas, and easy walking paths. It is perfect for a morning spent enjoying a picnic, watching birds and wildlife, taking short walks, and simply relaxing.
Grapevine Canyon, near Christmas Tree Pass, offers one of the most culturally significant desert landscapes in the region. Hundreds of ancient petroglyphs carved into rock faces by indigenous peoples are tangible links to centuries of life lived in this harsh and stunning desert landscape.
A short walk into the beautiful canyon reveals desert varnished rock panels covered in ancient carvings, seasonal springs that create desert oasis, and quiet places perfect for reflection, photography and simply unwinding. This is a place where desert scenery and deep history come together.
Blurring The Line
The site of Camp Beale Springs, a military outpost along the Mohave Prescott Road during the Hualapai Wars in the 1870s, is located about 35 miles east of Laughlin near Kingman. From the parking lot just off U.S. 93, the springs that are a delightful oasis are accessed via a short, level trail that with care is wheelchair accessible.
The springs were named for Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale who developed the first federally funded road across the Southwest. Today visitors can explore the quiet historic site where informative kiosks mark the site of military structures as well as a later mill, ranch house, and hotel with reservoir. Other kiosks detail the history of indigenous people at the springs including the establishment of an internment camp before the Hualapai tribe was marched to a reservation on the Colorado River.
It is a pleasant picnic stop. Looped walking paths provide access to various historic sites as well as the 19th century Mohave Prescott Road and a highway built in 1913.
Respect historic and cultural sites. Petroglyphs and historic ruins are fragile. Look, photograph, and leave them untouched for the next traveler.
While You Are In Town
While at Kingman a visit to the Mohave Museum of History and Arts is recommended. Founded in 1961, the museum preserves the heritage of northwestern Arizona through exhibits on mining, ranching, Route 66, the Kingman Army Airfield, Native American culture, and early transportation routes.
The building bult using bricks from the old Truxton Canyon Indian Agency School at Valentine, Arizona is acclaimed for detailed dioramas depicting the region’s prehistoric and pioneer history. A Hualapai Native American exhibit featuring traditional crafts and shelter design as well as mining and ranching artifacts from the early settlement era provide an immersive experience. This continues with outdoor displays including historic machinery and a 1923 railroad caboose
Laughlin After Dark
The perfect ending for a day of adventure and exploration is Laughlin after dark. The energy and vibrancy of Laughlin provide the perfect contrast. As the last rays of the sun illuminate the rugged slope of the Black Mountains, the riverfront comes alive.
Visitors spend the evening enjoying live music in casino lounges, dining along the Colorado River with sunset views, and taking a river walk beneath the glowing lights of the resort corridor. They try their luck at the gaming tables and catch concerts, or comedy shows at Laughlin’s entertainment venues.
Compared with the hustle of Las Vegas, Laughlin’s nightlife has a relaxed, friendly rhythm. That fits perfectly after a day of desert discovery. Few destinations combine history, scenery, and entertainment quite like Laughlin on the banks of the Colorado River.
Telling people where to go and sharing the adventure – Jim Hinckley’s America